Nathan Scarborough struck deep into stoppage time to
hand Hullbridge Sports a dramatic win over Gorleston and send them through to
the next round of the Emirates FA Cup.
The hosts had come into this one off the back of a decent
2-0 win at local rivals Southend Manor but they were up against very strong opposition
in the shape of Thurlow Nunn Gorleston who had seen off Norwich United 4-2 in midweek,
so they were also coming into this one in good form and as favourites for this
tie.
And it was the visitors who created the first opening in the
eighth minute when a Hullbridge slip allowed the visitors a sight of goal but
the effort was dragged across goal and wide, before the hosts responded three
minutes later as an Aundre Spencer cross just eluded Luke Hornsley.
The hosts then saw a long range effort deflected wide before
they fell behind in the 17th minute when Joel Watts got in down the
left and struck a lovely looping effort beyond George Marsh and into the far
corner of the net.
The visitors looked to be in again two minutes later but a
great defensive block denied them, and just before the half hour mark Watts
sent an effort inches wide of the hosts goal as they looked to try and double
their lead in this tie.
Just past the hour mark Ross Gilfedder found himself bearing
down on the hosts goal, but saw Marsh save, before the visitors got in down the
left moments later, only to see the cross cleared. And then a chance for the hosts came along
but sadly for them Adebayo Sotoyinbo could only blast his effort over the bar.
The hosts did end the half well and three minutes before the
break saw Hornsley ghost past a couple of defenders before his effort at goal
was saved by George Parkin, and it meant the visitors held a slender lead at
the break.
Half Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Gorleston 1
The visitors started the second half the better and almost
doubled their lead five minutes into it when Watts saw his point blank effort
saved by Marsh, and then five minutes later the hosts defence had to block
another effort at goal and you felt the hosts had to step it up once again if
they were to remain in this tie.
And in the 58th minute they nearly found a
leveller when a cross to the near post hit Emmanuel Okunja and trickled just
wide of the post, but just past the hour mark Gorleston went close as after Gilfedder
rolled his marker, his effort was again saved by Marsh in the hosts goal.
The hosts though began to find some momentum again as the
game entered it’s final twenty and Hornsley broke down the right but saw his
cross put well over the bar by Spencer, but with seven minutes remaining the
tie took a massive twist in the home sides favour when a strike at goal was
blocked on the line by Jack Tipple.
After consulting his linesman, the referee pointed to the
spot and sent off Tipple for handball on the line, which he obviously did not
agree with, and the hosts had a massive chance to level the tie and then have a
man advantage for the final part of the contest. Sotoyinbo duly stepped up to convert and it
was all square.
Gorleston tried to counter this by charging up the other end
and seeing Watts fire an effort straight at Marsh, but the hosts were the ones
looking for the winner now and substitute Scarborough somehow headed wide from
point blank range, before he missed from close range again moments later.
And when the hosts thumped a powerful effort against the
underside of the bar you felt they were not going to find that winner, that was
until two minutes into stoppage time when Sotoyinbo crossed to the near post
for Scarborough to convert into the corner of the net and send the hosts wild
with delight as they dramatically took their place in the Preliminary Round and
an away trip to Newmarket Town.
Full Time Hullbridge Sports 2 Gorleston 1
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